Method of molten metal plating with slit nozzle

A method of molten metal plating, comprising the steps of:

• bring a travelling steel strip into contact with a revolving roll having a rolling surface coated with an oxide-, carbide- or nitride- base ceramic material having resistance to erosion by said molten metal, the temperature of the rolling surface being controlled at a temperature not higher than the melting point of said molten metal;
• providing a nozzle having first and second openings, said nozzle being disposed so that the rolling surface is nearer a corner of said first opening, which corner is located downstream with respect to a roll revolution direction, than other corners of said first opening, said second opening being located downstream of said first opening with respect to the roll revolution;
• applying a molten metal on said roll through said first opening;
• transferring said applied molten metal from said roll to said steel strip by the revolution of the roll;
• and
• ejection a non-oxidizing gas through said second opening toward said roll, said ejected gas acting upon a meniscus of said molten metal applied on said roll to prevent an ambient atmospheric gas dragged by said revolving roll from being engulfed by the molten metal meniscus, and thereby ensure that the molten metal meniscus continuously extends over a strip width.